Almost Lovers
by Enchantable
Summary: Orihime and Ulquiorra's thoughts on the duel between Ichigo, the rescue, on what was, what could have been and finally what is.
1. Almost Lovers

**I suggest you listen to "Almost Lover" by A Fine Frenzy when reading this.**

Watching them fight, Orihime felt as though she was asleep.

Green and black met Orange and hazel in a duel she always thought she would have a clear side on.

_Hearts? You humans are always talking about hearts. Its as if you have them in your hand. But my eye sees everything. Nothing can escape it._

Ichigo sidestepped Ulquiorra's blade, parrying it with ease as he returned the attacks the Espada had sent his way tenfold. Orihime's hands fisted in the white of her skirt.

What did he see when he looked at her? She knew what everyone else saw, what did he see?

_What it doesn't see doesn't exist. That's how I've always fought_

There was no doubt, nothing but a simple, methodical statement of the facts. He sounded like one of her science professors back in school, one in a particularly boring class she always had to struggle to stay awake in. But unlike that class Orihime was transfixed.

_What is a heart?  
_  
Oh God, what was a heart. How was she supposed to describe the thing that had ruled her life? The thing that had made her seek her brother for comfort when her parents screamed at each other, the thing that gave her her power and at the same time ripped it away.  
_  
If I rip open your chest will I see it?_

Perhaps.

_If I crack open your skull, will I find it in there?_

She wished he would. It would be easier than watching the man she loved so much it hurt fight--fight someone who she didn't know what he meant.

_Get away from Inoue_

Inoue to one, woman to the other--why couldn't anyone call her by her name? Or-i-him-e, it wasn't that hard to pronounce. But to Ichigo she would always always be Inoue, never Orihime. And to Ulquiorra she would always be woman. For some reason she couldn't decide which hurt worse.

_I plan to _

Orihime looked at him, horrified. "I plan to" as in "you don't matter anymore". Could he really be so cold? Was it even possible? Why did he have to make her question him now? Now when he was about to die? Now when she was supposed to prove her strength, to help Ichigo, to--she didn't know what she was supposed to do anymore. Just that the thought of either of them dying was just, it was unbearable. Unbearable and yet, somehow, she could not move.

"S-stop," she whispered, her voice barely audible to her own ears, much less over the din of the swords clashing, "oh please, stop," she whispered clutching her skirts in a desperate attempt at stability.

The fervor increased as she felt their Spiritual Pressures soar. She felt the familiar fluctuations in Ichigo's and knew what was coming. In a few moments his power would soar, it would roar up and consume whoever got in his way. He would shout something nobel and wonderful and he would defeat Ulquiorra with a single strike. But there was none of the anticipation she usually felt watching him fight, there was none of the thrill that maybe, just maybe this time he'd call her 'Orihime' or do one of the silly romatic things she seen in movies.

It was like watching the fight he had with Grimmjow. She had cried for him, begged him not to get hurt but when he stabbed Grimmjow all she could feel was fear and worry. Not for the orange haired man but for the blue haired Espada who had always been loud and funny, who had brought her to heal Ichigo so they could have a fair fight, who saved her from the two Arrancar who would have done God knows what if he hadn't shown up. And then he had struggled forward with the same determination that Ichigo always showed. Only he wasn't the hero, there was no powerful surge of Spiritual Pressure to aide him, just the silver half-moon of Nnoitra's blade that sliced through him with far too much ease.

She had just left him there.

Now she was watching another duel and the sickening feeling was back, only this time it was tenfold. She felt like she was going to faint or be sick or--Ichigo's Spiritual Pressure spiked as he began to glow. Dizziness surged through Orihime. He was going to kill him, he was going to kill Ulquiorra and she couldn't do anything but watch. He deserved to die, he kidnapped her and he put her friends through hell. He deserved Zangetsu slicing through him.

The blast of Getsuga Tensho hurt her eyes but she couldn't look away as it knocked Ulquiorra back. When it cleared the Fourth Espada was slumped against the wall, blood seeping through him from numerous cuts. When had he gotten so hurt? Ichigo surged forward, Zangetsu glinting with deadly purpose as the blade streaked towards the fourth Espada.

"Stop it!"

Orihime barely recognized the sob-choked scream that spilled from her lips. Ulquiorra's eyes remained closed as Zangetsu was as frozen as its wielder. Orihime saw the world waver as tears slipped down her cheeks but she couldn't stop them. Before she realized what she was doing she raced forward, planting herself firmly between Ichigo and Ulquiorra. Unable to point Zangetsu at her, Ichigo lowered his wrist slowly, horror painted all over his features.

"Orhime?" he whispered, his voice full of fear and confusion. She heard the rest of them, of her Namaka running into the room but she didn't care. She couldn't care, "what are you doing? What's he done to you?"

"He protected me!" she cried, her voice still choked, "He's hurt, he's not a threat--" she was rambling but she didn't care. They wouldn't see her as anything but foolish anyway, "you can't kill him."

"Woman," the raspy voice behind her made her turn to see Ulquiorra's eyes open, one hand grasping feebly for the rubble to pull himself up.

"No!" she struck his hand away, turning back to Ichigo, "I'll leave with you but please, you can't kill him. He's dying anyway, please," she repeated clasping her hands, "just don't kill him."

"I don't know what that bastard's done to you but I'm gonna kill him," Ichigo snapped bringing Zangetsu up, "get out of the way," Orihime shook her head, "Get out of the way! Orihime!"

"I won't!" she cried spreading her arms. Her fairies sparked, waiting for her command, "I won't go with you if you kill him," she quickly wiped her tears, not caring that they were replaced by more quickly, "I won't."

Ichigo looked at her, horror in his hazel eyes. Orihime didn't care. If she had no time to explain to Ulquiorra what a heart was, she would show him.

"Rukia!" Ichigo called kicking Ulquiorra's Zanpakto to another corner of the room, "encase him. We're going."

A blast of ice sealed Ulquiorra behind her. Orihime lowered her hands and nodded her consent. The two of them hurried to their friends, to those who had come to rescue her. Orihime offered them a weak smile which they all returned, pity bright in their eyes. Orihime knew she deserved worse, she deserved the hate, the anger, the horror in Ichigo's eyes. But there was a war to fight, a war to win and that was the most important thing. As the group ran off Orihime's steps faltered as she looked back at Ulquiorra who was watching her from Rukia's ice barrier.

_My eye sees everything._

But what does it see when it looks at me?


	2. Indiana

**By popular demand, here you go. What does Ulquiorra see? Lets find out.**

**The musical inspiration is "Indiana" by Jon McLaughlin which is a fantastic unrequited love song.**

Ulquiorra read the story of Hades and Persephone in a book once. Las Noches had a library and when he regained consciousness, when he became an Arrancar he spent weeks locked in the moonlit room reading legends and stories and tales of far off places. Greek were his favorite, tragedies and tales where good did not always win seemed to call to him. He knew he was no hero, that he would never actually be a hero, stories that did not involve heroic triumphs were his favorite.

When he first saw Orihime he thought she was like Persephone. Delicate, fragile, like a new blossom that was crushed under Yammy's undeserving fist. When he saw her the second time that feeling was only reinforced. With her sunset colored hair and bright grey eyes she was nothing short of heart stopping. She fought for her friends, she tried to heal them, she tried to save them, she agreed to go with him to save them all.

She was Persephone.

He was Hades.

Aizen may have considered himself the God but Ulquiorra knew he was Hades.

He was fated to see light and love and a hundred other good things, to be taunted by them, but never to possess them. Except for this, except for _her_. Even if it was only for a breath of time, even if it cost him the wrath of the Gods themselves, it didn't matter. She fights back but not as hard as she can, not as hard as she could have. She hates him, he can tell, and he's not exactly sure why she stays. Well he knows it has to do with her childish desire to protect her friends, to prove her usefulness to them. To show that she can protect them as well as they can protect her.

He calls her trash and a thousand other horrible things. He treats her like she's warmth and he's ice and if he gets to close he'll melt away. He may not be happy with his existence but its an existence and its not something he would willingly give up. All the while he inwardly is desperately struggling. He knows he should not want her, he knows its not his place to want her. He kidnapped her and she, she hates him for that. If she stays its out of duty and guilt and some foolish rules known only to herself. Like Persephone she is the Spring, she is the sunshine and the brightness in the lives of those she touches. She does not realize that just by being herself she is useful to them, no, she is more than that. She is integral to them. For in her they see themselves, they see something precious that they lost a long time ago, something that needs to be protected.

He knows he's taking it away from her. He can see the innocence slipping away bit by bit, like a leak that cannot be fixed. Every tear that slips down her cheek, every small act of defiance she performs, it all costs something. He knows in the end he will have won some small part of her but it is like Winter trying to keep Spring. He can treasure all he wants but Winter is ice and cold and dead, Spring is bright and happy and the beginning of life. He can get close but he can never truly be by her side.

He doesn't even think he want's to be, sometimes, he thinks that. Other times he thinks it would be nice if the Spring would melt away the Winter. If Persephone would save Hades, even if both know it was impossible. It was a bittersweet, useless dream. Like the few others he remembered, he stuffed them down in a dark corner of his heart where they would be out of the way, even if he couldn't truly forget them.

The Gods come for her.

Its time for the seasons to change once more and, of course, Spring must rise once more. He fights Ichigo, of course, but even he knows its pointless. Ulquiorra had long ago come to terms with the fact that he would never be a hero.

That he would never have the Spring.

That he would never truly understand what a heart was.

There was no time for any of that. He chastised himself for getting too close as the pain from blood that Ichigo spills from his skin pales in comparison to the pain that seems to have taken over his heart. He felt his erratic Spiritual Pressure soar and knew what was coming. There wasn't even time to brace himself as the world around him turned black and red and then when blissfully dark.

The Legend was over.

Persephone would return--

"He protected me!" the sob choked voice cried, "I'll leave with you but please, you can't kill him. He's dying anyway, please, just don't kill him."

He frowned. He wasn't dying. He was injured, of course, but it would take a lot more to kill him and they both knew it. What was she doing? Why was she doing it?

"Woman," he barely recognized the thready voice that came from his lips but the world at least was in focus, if not a little lopsided.

He reached out for a rock to push himself up on but she struck his hand away. Well she had slapped him before so it didn't really matter. He couldn't make out what they were saying, Persephone and the God but he saw her standing between them, her arms spread wide. The others came to retake her, to bring back the Spring, but all he could see was the sunset color of her hair as she defended him.

Just for a moment, for the barest of caress, he felt the ice melt. Even when he was encased in it, even when she ran over to her friends, he felt warm for the first time in memory. She paused for a moment, their eyes locking for once not in hatred or anger or sorrow.

She looked at him.

_My eye sees everything_,_ what it doesn't see doesn't exist. That's how I've always fought_

He returned her gaze.

Even when Orihime ran with her friends.

Even when Persephone left the Underworld of Hades.

_What do you see when you look at me?_

He saw hope, he saw innocence, he saw a thousand things he would always want, things that he had for a brief moment. Things that were worth that barest caress, even if it had cost him everything.

Ulquiorra watched Orihime.

He saw the Spring.


	3. Somewhere Out There

**Okay after a fair amount of praise and cajoling I've added another chapter. What can I say? I'm a very bribable person. This of course means I'm open to adding more chapters. I kind of like these oneshots that stand alone but work together because lets face it, there is not enough Ulquihime in the world. **

**So the musical inspiration for this is "Somewhere Out There" From An American Tale: Fievel Goes West.**

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After the Winter War was finished, after they saved the world, months later the Nakama all went to the festival of Tanabata, held annually in Karakura Town. Orihime hadn't wanted to go but the others had told her that they couldn't let themselves be ruled by the past forever. They had also threatened to drag her out, telling her she could either go in her pajamas or she could get dressed.

Orihime had opted to get dressed.

Now she was wandering through the festival, wondering how the world could have continued as easily as it did. The August air was humid and perfumed with incense and flowers. Somewhere behind her under the paper lanterns Orihime knew her friends were laughing, talking--figuring out what they were going to eat. Orihime had slipped away from them, something it seemed she had become very good at doing. Before long she found herself on the riverbank, looking up at the starry sky.

Orihime knew where her name came from. The legend of Tanabata, the story of the Princess and the Cowherd. She used to attend the festival with her brother. It had been one of their favorite things to do. He would buy her shaved ice and they would sit by the river, where the stars were the clearest. Sora would take her chubby hand in his and point it to the stars of the legend.

_You see that star, Orihime? That's your star, the _Vega_ star. And that star over there, that star is the _Altair_ star. See they're separated by all those other stars except for one day during the year. But on that one day, the two stars get to be together._

Orihime raised her finger and pointed to her star, following it to the Vega star, the star of her cow herder. She had always placed Ichigo's face on that star, pegging him as the man she would love.

_But if the stars are separated all the time aren't they sad?_

_Yes Orihime, they're sad. But they know that one day they'll be reunited_

Orihime lowered her hands with a sad sigh, looking at the water.

_And because they know they'll be together again, they have hope. You see, Orihime, hope is the most important thing for a person. Because if they have hope they can believe in themselves and once they do that they can do anything. _

_So you must promise me_

_Promise me you'll believe in yourself_

_You'll believe in your heart_

Orihime touched the fabric that covered her heart. She believed her heart. Even if it was a bit confused and more than a little broken, she believed her heart. But what about someone who didn't believe in hearts at all? Could they believe in something they couldn't see? She prayed that he did, that if nothing else her desperate action had shown him that not only did hearts exist.

But that one cared about him.

It was odd how she hadn't even realized it until they were separated but she did care about him, in the odd sort of relationship they had. She couldn't really call it a friendship but in the wake of all that had happened she couldn't rely deny that there had been _something_ there. She wasn't sure what, she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to find out what, but she knew that there was something there. Her eyes raised up to the Vega and the Altair stars twinkling in the sky.

She knew there were stars in Las Noches.

She hoped they were the same.

She hoped Ulquiorra was looking at them.

* * *

Ulquiorra liked legend and stories.

They were, after all often easier to deal with than real life. With stories you could read ahead, you could know what would happen.

There were answers. Clear, definitive answers.

Because he had read so many legends, he knew where her name came from, the legend of the Tanabata Festival. Human customs may have been foreign to him but their stories were fascinating. He knew the Orihime in those legends was sad because her abilities as a weaver made her very precious to her father, the Sky King and thus she could never fall in love. Her father introduced her to Hikoboshi, the cowherd, and the two fell in love. But being in love meant the two did not do their duties, causing chaos in the universe.

Her father separated them across the river but the Princess couldn't bare it and begged her father to let them meet. So as long as the two did their jobs, one day of the year they got to meet, when the Altair and Vega stars intersected.

Ulquiorra had considered the two lovers of that story very foolish people. He had also considered the world black and white once upon a time. Now he could no longer write the lovers off as foolish. Now the world was not as simple or clear or stark as it had one been. The world had somehow exploded into color and with it, all the complications of a world like that. Ulquiorra wasn't sure he liked it that much, but even he was not foolish enough to wish back the simplistic life he had led before he had met her.

Before she had saved him.

His head still couldn't wrap around it. She had saved him, him, Ulquiorra, someone she had no obligation to save. He wasn't one of precious Nakama, he wasn't anything but a kidnapper to her.

Kidnapper.

Protector.

They were _something_, he simply couldn't figure out what the hell that was. The Winter War was over, it was all over and yet, he could not let go. It was ironic, really. He had been the one to kidnap her and yet he was the one who was unable to let her go. He may have spent the end of the Winter War encased in ice but even after the ice had gone away he had stayed staring at the doorway she ran through.

And for the life of him he had been unable to wipe the smile off his lips.

She had changed him in ways he was sure he had not seen the end of. Ways that would probably be a pain in the ass farther down the road. But at the moment he was content to stand on the roof of Las Noches, looking up at the stars. He knew that the Real World had the same night sky, that Altair and Vega were intersected in the sky there as well.

_Once, once during the year the lovers meet._

_Unless it rains._

_When it rains the birds that make a bridge for Orihime to meet her lover cannot come and the lovers are forced to wait another year to meet again._

Ulquiorra stayed on the roof until the stars changed once more, a slight smile on his lips.

One year was not that long after all.


	4. A Whole New World

**I blame this entirely on my muse.**

**Seriously, I do. See this **_**started**_** as an angstly Ulquihime onshot with a really sad song. I was struggling with the last chapter and what I was going to do for it since this turned from a oneshot to a fourshot. Nothing on my ipod was helping either. Then i saw this picture of Ulquiorra and Orihime at a festival and Grimmjow's there too. Its a funny picture which you''ll understand in a bit. I was still, however, uninspired. **

**And then "A Whole New World" came on my ipod.**

**Ulquiorra is not Aladdin and Orihime is not Jasmine but the lyrics really hit me and its a happy duet and my Muse went "bingo!"**

**So here you go. **

**The conclusion of "Almost Lovers" or, as its become "Lovers" because I apparently can't write unhappy endings or sustainable angst. **

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Another year had passed.

When Orihime had written in her notebook "Goodbye Halcyon Days" even she had not realized the truth in her words. The past year had been a whirlwind as she had proven herself to be different than the naive little girl who had gone to Hueco Mundo to save her friends. At first everyone believed that it was sadness and hurt in her eyes coming from the confusion after her kidnapping and subsequent imprisonment. But it was clear that it wasn't. No, it seemed that after years of delaying it, Orihime Inoue had finally started to grow up. She may have not been the innocent little Princess with the wide eyes anymore but she was still Orihime.

Which she demanded everyone call her now.

She was sick of people calling her Inoue, her name was Orihime. Ichigo had been the slowest to adjust but eventually he too had obliged her. Now she couldn't remember the last time he had called her Inoue. Everyone called her Orihime now. Everyone except the one person she wanted to hear it from. She had learned to use Tsubaki, to survive in the world that existed outside of her head. She still had her strange taste in food and her bright smile but now when someone asked about her future self she said she wasn't sure but she didn't say anything about herself being a robot.

She had told Tatsuki about what happened to her in Las Noches. Her oldest, closest friend had listened quietly. When she was finished Orihime held her breath, expecting the same horrible reaction from everyone else. Much to her shock Tatsuki dropped her head to her chin and gave a very girlish sigh before saying it was possibly the most romantic thing she had ever heard in her entire life. Orihime had been stunned but a brief replay of the events told her that despite keeping her captive Ulquiorra had been her protector. He had chased after her when she was kidnapped, he had kept her alive when she refused to do it herself. Plus he had made her angry which was no small feat in itself. He had made her angry and, as Tatsuki pointed out, he had made her care so much she was really sad when she left. She had also stood up to Ichigo for him, something Orihime never ever did.

Orihime hadn't really thought about her story with Ulquiorra as romantic. Even if she had done all those things, even if he had protected her, she hadn't thought of it that way. And somehow Tatsuki--the least romantic person Orihime knew--saw it that way. Orihime had pushed the thought as far out of her mind for as long as she could until the annual festival came around. A bit before butterflies had started in her stomach and by the time it came around she had been almost beside herself with excitement.

Standing in front of the mirror she tugged at the kimono she wore, wondering why she was so excited. It was a festival and even if it was her favorite she didn't know why she was more excited about it than ever before. Still she was dressed in a beautiful kimono of rose silk embroidered with pale gold butterflies. The colors worked beautifully with her hair which she wore unbound down her back. Wrapped snugly around her waist was a creme colored sash, a warmer tone than her robes in Las Noches but reminiscent of them all the same. For some reason it was not a bad color, no horrible memories stirred at the sight of it.

"Orihime! You ready?!" Ichigo demanded loudly pounding on the door.

"Coming!" she called back giving herself one last encouraging smile before opening the door. Ichiog was standing there with Rukia and Ishida and Tatsuki, "where's Renji and Sado?" she asked.

"Meeting us there along with Keigo, come on," he said.

The group walked to the festival. Sure enough their friends were waiting for them there. August was just as warm and humid as it had been last year. It wasn't dark enough out to see the stars yet but Orihime knew they would be up there soon enough. Hikoboshi and Orihime, the weaver Princess and the Cow Herder reunited at long last for a single night. They wandered through the candy colored paper lanterns and vendors selling all sorts of things. As it got a bit closer to dusk food vendors came out and started to sell food. Delicious smells wafted up around them. Orihime closed her eyes and inhaled gratefully before opening her eyes. Her heart skipped a beat.

In a previously unoccupied space eating noodles was Grimmjow Jeagerjaques.

"Grimmjow!" she gasped.

The Sixth Espada was whole and alive and given the lack of mask, in a gigai. Hollows didn't need to eat food but that clearly wasn't stopping him. The sight of him, mouth full of noodles and chopsticks raised to shovel more into his mouth would have been comical if the last time Orihime had seen him hadn't been when he was lying, bleeding on the desert of Las Noches.

"Eh--oof!" Orihime collided with his chest, her arms going around him, "fuck woman! What's wrong with you?!"

"You're alive!" she cried, too overjoyed to care about the demand. He seemed stunned at her joy at seeing him, "I thought you were dead!"

"Yeah, well," he trailed off, awkwardly raising a hand to pat her back before she stepped back and put her hands on her hips.

"Are you still hurt? How did you get healed? Why are you here?!"

"You ask a lot of questions woman," he said rolling his eyes.

"My name is Orihime," she said glaring.

"Fine! Orihime," he rolled his eyes, "long story. It'd take all night," he shrugged, "and given who I'm talking to, despite the obvious superiority, I'm not the one you want to spend all night with."

"Grimmjow!" Ichigo stalked over to him, "what the fuck are you doing here?"

"Damn it I'm trying to eat!" he snarled, motioning to the plate he held in his hand.

Orihime didn't hear the rest of the exchange. Not the one she wanted to spend the night with meant one thing: Ulquiorra was here. She was sure that Ichgio and Grimmjow would eventually have a rematch but the two wouldn't fight during the festival. She wasn't alone anymore and she had a feeling that if they tried anything Rukia was going to murder them both. Weaving her way through the crowed Orihime tried to ignore the feelings that raced through her. But she didn't see him. Not a flash of emerald or white or ebony, nothing. After embarrassing herself in front of every ebony haired man she saw Orihime was still not ready to give up. On a whim she headed to the outskirts of the festival, to the lake where the view of the stars was the best.

And there he was.

Hades waiting for Persephone to come home.

Hikoboshi waiting for when he could be reunited with Orihime.

Ulquiorra waiting for Orihime.

Standing on the riverbank, his eyes focused on the faint stars above he was there. He was in a gigiai as well, his skin just pale instead of chalk white, his broken helmet nowhere to be seen. Orihime's heart felt as though it would beat right out of her chest. He was really there. As though aware of eyes on him he turned his head to look at her. Before she could loose her nerve Orihime stepped along the grass until she came next to him.

"I didn't know if you'd come," she said.

"I don't like crowds," he said glancing over his shoulder at the festival before focusing his gaze on her.

"Me neither," she said, "you can see the stars much better here anyway."

"You can't see them yet," he said looking at the sky that was just starting to darken.

"Don't worry," she said, her lip curving into the brightest smile she had given in a year, "you will," she held out her hand, "here, I'll show you."

After a moment's hesitation, Ulquiorra extended his hand. Just like her brother had done she traced the outline of the stars with their fingers, explaining the legend as she did despite the fact that Ulquiorra clearly knew it already. He said nothing to contradict her, letting her instead guide his hand and tell him the legend. He knew it was the first time in so long that she had touched him and she seemed to know it as well but somehow it did not seem odd. Just as Orihime in the legend did not weep when she saw Hikoboshi, Orihime did not seem sad or afraid around him anymore. When she finished the stars had fully come out, throwing the velvety sky into a dazzling display.

"I wanted to thank you for saving me," he said after a moment of silence.

"Well I should thank you for protecting me," she said.

"I kidnapped you."

"I hit you."

"Woman--"

"Orhime," she corrected firmly.

Ulquiorra said nothing. It took a second for him to realize she was demanding he call her by her name. He had always called her 'woman'. He had always thought of her as 'woman'. At least he had until the end, when she had saved him. He saw her smile, her eyes soft as though she already knew the chanced of him denying her were slim to none. He had, after all, come to the festival in a gigai. There wasn't much he wouldn't do after doing that.

"Orihime," he said finally, her name falling very easily from his lips. Orihime smiled and dipped her head before he could see the rosy blush that stained her cheeks. Ulquiorra felt something twist inside him. He had made her cry and he had made her smile but now he made her blush as well., "thank you," he said finally.

"Y-you're welcome," she said raising her eyes to his finally.

She had so many questions to ask him. What had he been doing for the past year? What were the remaining Espada doing now that Aizen was gone? How had he gotten out of the ice that they left him in? Had he thought of her? Did he miss her? But all that came out of her lips was the one question that really mattered.

"How long are you here for?" she questioned looking up at him.

"A while," he said.

"Not just one night?" she asked, her heart pounding in wild hope.

"No," he said, "the war's over," he looked at the lake and then at her, "there's nothing in Hueco Mundo anymore."

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"When did Urahara find you?"

"His cat woman came three days ago," he said after a moment, "she seemed to think tonight would be the best time to come up to the transient world," he shifted slightly.

"Is it strange being in a Gigai?" she asked. He looked at her strangely, wondering how she had figured it out, "its okay, when we went to save Rukia from Soul Society, I had to be in a Spirit Form and it felt very weird," she smiled, "It took me a bit to get used to it," he looked at his hand and then at her again, "you'll get used to it too."

"Its strange," he said after a moment, his voice almost, well, unsure.

"I know," she said stepping closer to him, "but strange isn't always bad."

His lips curved into a small smile that set Orihime's heart pounding.

"You've become wiser, Orihime," he said.

"That's another thing I have to thank you for," she replied easily, "come on," she said, "lets go eat."

"Your friends--" he began.

"They'll adjust," she said, "I saw Grimmjow eating noodles before I found you."

"Like I said," Ulquiorra sighed, "its been strange."

"That's okay," Orihime said as they walked towards the bright festival, "strange isn't always bad, its just--" she smiled, "its strange."

The back of Ulquiorra's hand touched her and before he could move away she reached out and took his hand in hers. Together they walked back towards the festival. It was strange and different and a thousand things that filled Orihime with both hope and fear. But walking towards the rest of them with her hand clasped in Ulquiorra's, Orihime felt truly hopeful for the first time. Strange wasn't necessarily bad, it was just strange and she was glad she did not have to face it alone.

High above them the lovers in the stars twinkled, happy for their single night of reunion.

Down below Orihime tightened her fingers on Ulquiorra's and was glad that they had much longer than one night to spend together.


	5. BONUS CHAPTER: Love Story

**Okay in honor of Ulquiorra's awesome release form you all get an awesome bonus chapter of Almost Lovers.**

**Oh and also because I was writing my fic Scarlet which just focuses on ByaHisa. I wrote a chapter of Toro Nagashi and one of Arcana and realized its gonna be a bit before either of them gets more Ulquihime action. So here's some Ulquihime's action for you all!**

**Stupid Ulquihime withdrawl.**

**Fluff ahoy!**

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Orihime was falling.

It had been a stupid mistake, an idiotic one really. She had tripped and fallen backwards after yet another remnant of Aizen's forced thought that she was a threat. Well trip might have been a strong word. There had been a very precise strike that had blasted the breath from her lungs and the movement from her limbs and then with very little grace she had been thrown off the side of the roof. The strike had been a surprise and all her friends were engaged in battles of their own. Still she knew they saw her fall, even if they did not see the real thing that was going to kill her.

"Orihime!" she heard Ichigo's desperate scream of her name, his voice mingling with Ishida's own hoarse shout.

Somewhere in that mess she knew that Grimmjow had probably growled an obscenity and shoved his fist through someone's stomach. Ulquiorra had probably said nothing, in fact, to the enemy he probably gave no indication of anything. Did he ever really give away what he was feeling? She doubted it. Even after the time they spent together out side of Aizen's hold she had learned that he was nearly impossible to read. There were moments when she thought she could see through every facade he put up and moments where it seemed like his walls were thicker than the bone hard skin he had when he wasn't in his gigai.

She remembered the first day that he had shown up wearing it. Urahara had tried to get the Espada to go to school but Grimmjow had uttered a long stream of obscenities. Ulquiorra had cooly said that he was educated far beyond the high school level and saw no need to regress in such a degrading manner. The rest of them had returned to school. Orihime had learned that while her life had taken a recess the rest of the world seemed to have gone on just fine. The days of her being ranked so high were almost non existent. She had gotten the very low marks back from her first test and was about to head home to mope and figure out how to save her failing grades. She hadn't even recognized the pale man who stood outside the school with his hands tucked into his pockets. She had walked right past him until she realized that there was only one person who had Ulquiorra's emerald eyes.

As it turned out, Ulquiorra read--a _lot_. She had never seen a library in Las Noches but then again she hadn't seen most of Las Noches. Ulquiorra hadn't been joking when he said that he was educated. She did not know if it was from his life or from something else but the emerald eyed Espada had somehow wound up being her tutor, working with her to catch up on all the schoolwork she missed. Orihime had a feeling that guilt might have played a role in his willingness to spend a lot of time at her kitchen table but whatever the reason he was usually waiting for her outside of school. She hadn't really thought of Ulquiorra as attractive but it seemed that the girls in her class really did. It was fortunate that Ulquiorra was so in control of himself because otherwise Orihime had a feeling that Chizuru was not going to be long for the world.

Tatsuki put up with him because, well, she knew everything and still considered his and Orihime's story to be romantic even if the two of them were too thick to realize it quite yet. As for the rest of their gang, when it became clear that the fractured remains of Aizen's forces were still coming up and still trying to kill them all, the advantages of having the two former Espada quickly became very clear. Naturally Grimmjow and Ichigo still spent far more time screaming obscenities at each other and arguing over who was the current 'King' depending on who finished their battles faster or who ate the most food or who won whatever they were competing in that day. Ulquiorra would quietly roll his eyes and find something to amuse himself with. She had even caught him and Tatsuki watching fighting videos the other day.

A handful of very powerful Arrancar had shown up hell bent on getting one last strike in. They were systematic and very powerful, easily separating the group of them. Though individually they all might have been more powerful than the Arrancar's, they had the advantage in sheer numbers, pelting them with lesser Hollows and such. Orihime had run up to the roof where the majority of fighting was going on to try and create a shield to prevent any civilians from getting hurt. But the moment her foot had touched the roof all the air had been knocked out of her lungs and she found herself paralyzed, pain blossoming in her midsection. Without another word she had found herself flying off the roof and heading strait for the ground. No-one could get to her, that much she knew. They had to contain the fighting before anyone else got hurt or more of the Hollows were lured by the fighting. Orihime had healed so many broken things but if she was crushed by the impact she knew that she would not be able to speak the words that would save her life.

Ulquiorra saw the nameless, faceless, trash Hollow paralyze Orihime with a very well aimed, possibly venomous strike. There was a difference between being in control of one's emotions and being completely numb. The first was not that bad, the second was very very unpleasant. He heard Ichigo shout her name, the glasses wearing Quincy doing the same thing. It was a familiar scene. Only this time Ulquiorra knew that they would be too late. She would be in a heap on the ground like a broken doll by the time they managed to do anything. They had sever restrictions on their powers here, both for their safety and the safety of those around them.

The only safety that mattered was hers.

"Bind! Murcielago!"

It was about two seconds before whoever he was fighting was impaled on the edge of his weapon. He heard Grimmjow roar some obscenity but ignored him as he vanished, only to appear in mid-air. She was too close to the ground for Sonido, it would have jostled her severely anyway and he didn't know what kind of damage was done to her. Fortunately he had wings. He swooped down and caught her, his grip gentle as he soared upwards into the night. He heard Orihime make a soft sound and looked down, his insides rolling.

Protruding from her mid section was a part of the Hollow.

It was impaling her as he had just impaled one of the enemies. He was thankful he hadn't used Sonido or given anyone the chance to use Shunpo, it probably would have shifted it. He was no doctor but he knew that he had to keep her as still as possible so she didn't move or drive it deeper. Instead of numbness he felt seething anger. How could he have let this happen to her? Even if it was not true anymore, nor had it been for some time, it was hard to think of himself as anything but her protector. He had walked her home from school for months now, he had tutored her to make sure she wasn't failing because of what he had done. Every battle, every scrimmage he had always been near enough to make sure that no-one dared to lay a finger on her and if they did that finger was usually ripped off--followed by their head.

"U-Ulquio--" she tried to speak.

"Do not speak," he ordered, his voice cold though they both knew it was a joke.

He concentrated on getting her to Urahara's as fast as he could. Urahara would know what to do, Urahara _had_ to know what to do. He dropped to the parking lot outside the shop with the eerie grace he had long since perfected. She didn't even cry out. He didn't even jostle her. He used one of his wings to slam open the door, folding them to walk into the shop. It was only then that he realized his resurrection form might be frightening to some. Urahara dropped the mug he was holding, Jinta and Ururu screamed while Tessai's eyes were in danger of bugging out past his glasses. Ulquiorra frowned and looked at them before looking down at Orihime. There was pain on her face but there was no fear. She wasn't afraid of him. He looked back up at the stunned shop.

"She needs help," he said quickly.

To their credit they jumped into action. It was an effort to lay her down, even more to step back and let them take care of her. He barely managed to release his resurrecion, to seal Murcielago back into its blade. He did not move, even as they slid the spike from her stomach and Tessai bent over her to heal her poor broken body. She was so horribly fragile, so delicate, it was horrible but the worse thing was that he _knew_ she was fragile and he had still been unable to protect her. She was the one who healed them all, not the other way around. The idea that she had gotten _hurt_ was just somehow wrong to him. It was impossibly wrong. She shouldn't have been hurt, especially not by something that could have been prevented.

"She's going to be just fine," Tessai rumbled looking over at Ulquiorra.

The Espada gave no reply. His features still looked rather stoic, but there was a hollowness to them as he looked at Orihime's body. Blood still stained her shirt, though the skin underneath it was unbroken. As if he needed confirmation he walked over and looked down. He saw the smooth skin through the tear in her shirt but his eyes were drawn far more to the ruby that stained the pale fabric. She had bled. He had seen her with bruises and he had seen her hopeless but seeing her bleed when he had been unable to protect her sent jolts through him. All he could do was look at her form and wonder how she could possibly seem so fragile.

"Ulquiorra?" Ulquiorra looked at her face, just in time to see her grey eyes open and look around, "what happened?" she demanded pushing herself up. Tessai's hand was on her shoulder instantly, pushing her back down, "what happened?" she repeated.

"You were injured," Ulquiorra's voice seemed to come from some great distance to his ears, "I brought you here to be healed."

Orihime looked over at him, her grey eyes still clouded with the remnants of Tessai's healing. Orihime knew she must have been drugged or something because she saw worry, guilt and genuine fear in Ulquiorra's emerald eyes. Looking up at the ceiling Orihime tried to fight past the fog in her mind. She tried to think back to when she had been injured but all she could remember was being horribly numb and very sad that she was going to die. And then, then what had happened? Then she had, no, then _they _had--

"Did we fly?" she whispered looking over at Ulquiorra. The former Espada looked down, seeming to need a moment to collect himself.

"Yes," he said, his emerald eyes locking with hers once more, "I did not want to jostle you with Sonido," he told her.

"Can we go home?" she asked.

"Gigai first," Urahara spoke up.

As soon as he was in one that contained his Spiritual Pressure again, he returned. Ulquiorra knelt down, sliding an arm under her shoulders and another under her knees, rising smoothly with her cradled against his chest. Orihime's head was against his chest, her sunset hair spilling down to brush against his forearm making him suddenly both regretful and thankful for the hypersensitive gigai. It was night time and he knew that the streets were going to be deserted. Still he was mindful of all the potential threats as he walked down the street with her in his arms.

"Ulquiorra?" she asked softly. He kept his eyes ahead but she knew he was listening, "I always wanted to fly with you," he looked down at her, glad she couldn't see the shock on his face, "ever since I saw you during that fight I wanted to fly with you," she sighed softly, "can we go again when I'm not dying?"

He couldn't speak past the block that seemed to be closing up his throat. She was tired and healed and brushes with death tended to do strange things to people. His time in the transient world had taught him that sometimes women said strange things and that when they were under the influence of outside sources like alcohol or the variety of things she had just experienced, it was polite to ignore what they were saying. He didn't want to take advantage of her.

"Its okay," she continued, "you don't have to answer now. I've been waiting for a while. I can wait longer."

"Waiting?" he looked at her, "waiting for what?"

"For you silly," she said looking up at him, her grey eyes earnest.

Ulquiorra's heart almost stopped in his chest.

"I've been waiting a terribly long time," she said, "not as long as the Orihime in that legend or as Persephone. I knew we'd have more time together than those star crossed lvoers. But nowyou're probably going to be stupid and push me away after this because you feel guilty even though you've got no reason too."

"I could not protect you," he said, his voice low a almost guilty at admitting it.

"Of course you could," she said, "I'm only here because you could fly," she rested her head back on his chest, "did I tell you I always wanted to fly?"

"Do not speak anymore," he said as they neared her apartment.

"You're still so protective," she murmured as he entered using the spare key.

She had shown him the spare key's painfully obvious hiding location and he had moved it to a far more secure one long ago. He walked up to her apartment and finally to her bedroom. He laid her on the bed and pulled back the sheets after he removed her shoes. He wasn't about to undress her more than that. Instead he pulled the blankets over her, fully dressed and all. She was half asleep already, the moment she was tucked in she turned on her side and curled around herself, a sleeping position he knew that she usually wound up in.

"Goodnight Ulquiorra," she said with a yawn, "thank you."

"Goodnight," he said, closing the door softly behind him.

Two days later Orihime was back in school. Everyone had visited, everyone but Ulquiorra. Grimmjow had snorted and called him 'emotionally challenged' while Ichigo had glared everything green down until Rukia told him that if he shot one more deathglare at the green Chappy she was eyeing to buy she was going to kill him. Tatsuki had offered to go and beat him while Ishida had murmured something about his unworthiness as he fixed the rip in her favorite shirt. Sado had said nothing which, in some ways, was exactly what Orihime wanted. Sado never judged, he never seemed outright furious at anyone, even Grimmjow. Every night Orihime dreamed of falling and of Ulquiorra swooping down to catch her and flying high up in the sky with her in his arms.

She couldn't remember what she said to him, she just hoped that it hadn't been anything that made him stay away for this long. She had spent the entire day looking anxiously out the window as if she was expecting him to just be there. But he wasn't. Still when the last bell rang Orihime had thrown on her jacket, stuffed her papers and books into her bag and sprinted for the door. He had to be there, he just had too. Waiting for her like he usually did with his arms crossed as he tried to remind himself that he had sworn not to decapitate Chuzuru. Even though she was out in record time the courtyard was still swimming with students. She pushed past them but Ulquiorra wasn't at his usual spot. Nor was he anywhere that she could see.

He wasn't there. Orihime felt disappointment and sadness well up in her. She must have said something really bad to Ulquiorra if he was avoiding her like this. She heard Ichigo's loud voice as he approached the courtyard with the rest of their friends. Orihime felt her eyes sting. She didn't want any of them to see her tears. She knew they'd go to the Urahara shop or track Ulquiorra down and that was the last thing she wanted. She turned to run as fast as she could back home. Home was safe, home was where no-one cold see her cry. She wouldn't get Ulquiorra into more trouble if no-one saw her cry.

"Where are you going woman?"

Orihime gasped and froze, turning around. Ulquiorra, wearing a gigai, was standing there where he hadn't been a moment before, his hands neatly tucked into his pockets as he looked down at her with confusion in his emerald eyes.

"My name is Orihime," she corrected him automatically,

"My apologies," he said, "Urahara felt it best that I remain underground to contain my Spiritual Pressure for the past few days," he explained, "my resurrection could have potentially devastating affects on the secrecy of our location."

"Oh," Orihime looked down, "but Grimmjow didn't know--" she stopped, "oh that makes sense," she felt herself blush, feeling very foolish at the simple explanation to his absence, "I thought--"

"The timing was unfortunate," Ulquiorra said as they began to walk home, "but I was not pushing you away."

"You weren't--oh no," Orihime turned beet red, "I told you that?! What else did I tell you?" she demanded.

"Nothing," Ulquiorra said, "you expressed your fears at me withdrawing from you," he kept his hands in his pockets, "you said nothing else."

Orihime let out the breath she had been holding. Ulquiorra kept his mouth shut. He was not going to take advantage of what she had told him in her weakened state. That would not be fair to her. He respected her far too much to use some kind of delirious confession. He could not deny that she felt something towards him, just as he was finding it impossible to deny that he found it almost impossible to keep his emotions in check around her. He walked slowly before Orihime fell back into step beside him.

"Its too bad you know that I don't really remember it. I've wanted to fly for a very long time," she pouted softly, "but we can't because you're too powerful," Ulquiorra inclined his head in agreement, "that's too bad."

"One day," he said, "I will fly with you."

"Really? You promise?" Orihime asked, sounding like the bright, innocent girl he had taken so long ago. He nodded his confirmation, "_wow_," Orihime said, "we'll go flying in the stars and we'll just keep going," she looked over at Ulquiorra, "have you ever read the book Peter Pan?"

"No."

"You should!" she gasped, seemingly outraged at the thought he had not, "its about this boy who comes and takes this girl far far away to a place called Neverland. He's got a fairy who flies with him--she's green like your eyes and they go off and have all these wonderful adventures--" she grinned up at him, "like us!"

In spite of himself Ulquiorra felt himself smile.

Finally they arrived at her door.

"I'm glad you're back Ulquiorra," she said, "thank you for saving me."

"Orihime--"

"I know you'll always be there to save me and you think you're my protector but I can still say thank you for doing it and I--"

One moment she was rambling and the next Ulquiorra's lips were pressed against hers. Both their eyes were wide with shock, both far too stunned to move or to actually kiss as they stared at each other from the frighteningly close proximity. Both their eyes slid over to where Grimmjow was walking off down the street as if he hadn't just shoved Ulquiorra's face into Orihime's. Ulquiorra tore his lips away from hers.

"Grimmjow--" he began.

"Fuck you two!" the blue haired man roared turning on them, "I'm getting sick and tired of this emotional confusion. And you--" he pointed a finger at Ulquiorra, "having this fucking hot chick ready to throw herself at you and you're too confused to do shit about it. If I wasn't so damn sure she'd _unmake_ me I'd have made a move by now. So pull your head outta your ass before that fucking orange haired idiot--whose just as emotionally confused as you--does somethin' worse."

Ulquiorra took a step forward to go and beat the blue haired idiot within an inch of his life. Orihime looked at him moving away. She remembered before Las Noches when she had so greatly admired Rukia's strength. She had found so much strength of her own. Now she was just going to let Ulquiorra walk after Grimmjow. Perhaps the blue haired idiot deserved to be beaten for what he had done but there were far more minuets in the day when Grimmjow deserved to be beaten than he did not. Taking a deep breath and hoping Ulquiorra would forgive her for what she was about to do, Orihime tugged on his wrist. He tore his eyes away from Grimmjow only to find Orihime much closer to him than she had been moments before.

"What are you doing?" he questioned, his heart echoing in his ears as he looked down at her.

"Helping you get over your emotional confusion," she said standing on her toes to close the small gap between their heights.

He met her halfway, not knowing what he was doing at first. But he found himself doing it none the less. Instead of her lips pressing against his in shock, now they were warm and soft and far less stiff then they had been moments before. His own were as well, even through the skin of the gigai he wore. Her arms came up to twine about his neck as his own embraced her as well. Finally Orihime pulled back, the memory of her lips soft against his. It felt--it felt indescribable. Not for the first time when it came to Orihime it seemed that words failed him. Orihime looked up at him with her grey eyes, his emerald ones meeting hers.

"I told you I was waiting for you, didn't I?" she asked.

"I did not want to take advantage of your confession," he said looking down at her, "you were not thinking clearly."

"Now we owe one to Grimmjow," Orihime said with a smile. Ulquiorra looked over at the rapidly retreating form of the blue haired idiot and then back at Orihime.

"We can call it even," he said, "I did drag him from Hueco Mundo."

Orihime laughed before she pulled him down to kiss him again.

Legends of star crossed lovers had nothing on them.


End file.
